Current, expected federal cyber vacancies spark concern

The U.S. may be more vulnerable to cyberattacks should the Biden administration continue to delay its nomination of a new national cyber director replacing Chris Inglis, who resigned in January, with legislators and cybersecurity experts expressing further concern regarding the expected departure of U.S. Cyber Command and National Security Agency Head Gen. Paul Nakasone, according to The Hill. President Joe Biden has been urged by Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, and Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., to promptly fill the national cyber director position as to better implement the recently unveiled National Cyber Strategy, with Gallagher noting that leaving Nakasone's position unfilled for a duration similar to Inglis' post or having both positions unfilled at the same time would be a "big gap" in security. Immediate identification of the proper candidates for such positions is crucial in facilitating a coordinated federal response against increasingly sophisticated cyber threats, said Ntirety President and CEO Emil Sayegh, who added that U.S. adversaries could exploit such vacancies in attacks. "They always look for a vacancy, for instability, for change, for somebody to kind of take their eye off the ball. And certainly right now, at least at the leadership level, we have a vacancy and about to have another vacancy," said Sayegh.